Picking up the Versys 650

So here it is; the first of my driving videos from my recent trip. As usual, I have the HD versions, but this is just 426x240 to keep it nice for those out there not wanting to break the telco plan.

This video starts on the highway heading away from the Batu Caves with Mig from Ride Adventure Kuala Lumpur in front. At about the 40 second mark, we start to enter one of the toll bypass lanes to the left of most of the toll booths. I manage to get past the old man on an outside pass at the 50 second mark.

I love these bypass lanes! Two things: no (rare) tolls and (mostly) at speed transit lanes for motorcycles. Unlike Australia the number of bikes on the road requires "special treatment" at flow and choke points.

The turn off to Pusat Bandaraya happens around 1:45, clearly signed (it helps if you know where you are going). As we pass under a bridge and I am in a right hand turning lane going forward, at around 2:40 Mig gives me a warning of some speed bumps ahead. After the first speed bump, we take the bikes along the white line from about 3 minutes with my personal favourite at about 3:40 when I squeeze past a white van and an oncoming white car. This is real Malaysian driving and it was what I was loving.

Mig and I have an obligatory chat at the lights around the 3:50 mark. He is making sure I am OK as I am still getting used to the clutch and the power of this bike. I am making mistakes in gearing up and down with respect to the road, but it is all just me getting used to it and the weight distribution was different. Accelerated like a snap even at high ends. Breaks seemed a little spongy. Nothing serious.

At the 4:50 mark, we take the bikes up the left side at a set of lights and you can see the general filtering culture. At about the 6 minute mark, we approach a right hand turn at the lights up the outermost left shoulder to get to the front of the pack. Using the indicator and following the white line on the outside, the only thing you need to worry about is how many have done this before you. 

As you can see, this is not unusual and we take off at the head of the traffic when the lights change with a handful of other bikes ahead of the bulk traffic.

You have the first glimpse of the Petronas Towers in the top left of the image at around 6:25. This video also shows the terrible smoke from the Indonesian fires. At the 6:40 mark, I take a look at the towers and glance for the sun. This is good around 7:40. 

We pass under the red banner announcing entry into the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre region of KL at around the 8:45 time stamp. The traffic here seems subdued. At 9:10 we round the final corner and come onto the home stretch as the Grand Hyatt appears gradually from the smoke. I love watching that building just come out of the smoke but it does show again the amount of smoke. At 9:45, Mig shows me the traditional motorcycle parking method at the Impiana Hotel in Malaysia and I dismount at the 10:20 mark. 

This clip provides a good introduction to some of the quirks of driving in Malaysia.

Leaving Melaka for KL

I didn't get to fully explore Melaka, even this time. I also found myself going around the place repeatedly, especially through the old Indian and Chinese areas. I did, however, get to explore some areas that I had not been able to get to last time, for instance, Jonker's Walk.

Jonker's Walk before the markets start

Jonker's Walk as the markets grow

I parked my bike in a side-street as the markets started to form along Jonker's Walk, but when I saw them growing down side alleys, I rushed back to stop the motorcycle being locked in for the night. When I arrived at my park spot, a market stall had already grown tight around my bike. I had to ask nicely to get the tables moved so I could evacuate the bike to a spot further away from the action.

Pineapple tarts - yum!

Grazing up and down the market stalls, I managed to find a traditional delicacy of the area - pineapple tarts. I love these things, but they can be a little dry, so make sure you have a drink when you gobble through a dozen or so. Don't be discouraged if they tell you they are sold out at the first place you look; there are plenty of stores that stock them. Also make sure you try the chicken rice balls.

There were also guys posing still as statues in various coloured glitter. Some were gold, others silver, others in purple or blue. This is not the same as the body builder statue, but I doubt you would ever get them mixed up.

Gold Glitter Man

Finally after several days in Melaka, we had to depart for Kuala Lumpur. There is still enough for me to return to explore more and I want to check on the status of Pulau Melaka. The trip back was almost completely without GPS and we stopped at a rest stop for a drink, but my partner decided the food looked good enough to eat even though she was not hungry. I just drank three juices and a bottle of water to replace the sweat I had expended. Still no rain, but still lots of smoke.

Departure from the Ramada Plaza Melaka hotel

Smoke haze in Malaysia

I recall back in 2013 the lush views and the clear skies... when it was not raining. I was expecting much more rain as it is the beginning of the monsoon season, but so far in a week, I have had no rain at all. Maybe I am missing it, but I am sure it would clear some of the haze caused by the fires in Indonesia.

The day of arrival

Second day

Third day

I didn't think much of it until I had a bath one evening and although I am used to the sweat and grime of traveling in a hot country, I was amazed at the black ring I left in the bath due to the accumulation of smoke on my skin. I hope it clears for the people who have to live in it. It really makes me realise how lucky Australia is.

Floating Mosque and Kahaani Melaka

We made it to Melaka after about 3 hours drive, including stops to stretch legs, drink and check the GPS.

The Kahaani Melaka

We had booked a night at a wonderful looking place called the Kahaani Melaka in Ayer Keroh about half an hour out of the town of Melaka. This incredible location was once the home of the Malacca State Governor. If we had realised how amazing the place was, we would have tried to stay longer. We didn't even know it had a pool until the following morning when we were taking breakfast.

The pool

The staircase up to the room

Once we had checked in, we were back on the bike to head into the Melaka town itself, about half an hour away. I found I even remembered most of the way without the GPS.

Floating Mosque at night

I first discovered the Masjid Selat Melaka in 2013 when I was marooned in Melaka for a few days. Off in the distance was an amazing tower (the minaret) but I could not get to it until I replaced the battery in my motorcycle. It certainly was in better condition back then and now the paint is flaking on the outside and it looks as if it might have been the target of vandalism since.

The rear of the mosque

The "Floating" mosque is built on the artificial island of Pulau Melaka on stilts over the sea of Melaka and opened in November 2006. When the water is high, it looks as if the mosque is floating on the water. The mosque mixes cultural building techniques with the Middle Eastern central dome and the four Malaysian turrets around the perimetre.

On sunset

I noticed when I first visited that the mosque was being surrounded by some sort of Arab City and I was hoping to see it populated and vibrant, but it seemed to just be in a more advanced state of building. I am sure when it is completed, it will be a wonderful cultural icon, but it just seems to be taking so long. I will drop back in again to see how it is going when I pass through next time.

Starting in Kuala Lumpur

With a little negotiation, I managed to secure a Kawasaki Versys 650 through Mig from Ride Adventure - Kuala Lumpur. The negotiation was more about the mechanics of how we were going to do it. Mig gave me a call to let me know he would pick me up at 1500. I got my kit ready.

Basic riding gear

I had to leave my wife to enjoy her Swasana day spa at Impiana Hotel to go and talk motorcycles with the guys - it's hard, I know. The smoke in Kuala Lumpur had closed schools for consecutive days and it was very heavy. I could feel the dryness in my throat and the redness in my eyes.

Kuala Lumpur Tower (and smoke)

Petronas Towers (and smoke)

Mig drove me to the back of Batu Caves to take copies of my International Drivers License, my Australian Drivers License, and my passport. Then I signed a copy of the rental agreement outlining the basic rules and liabilities, acknowledging that motorcycling held inherent risks. Finally, I was introduced to the motorcycle. I checked the indicators and break lights, and the bike was in reasonably good condition (although it was clear someone had previously dropped it - I had no intention of contributing). Compared to many of the bikes in Malaysia it is large at 650cc.

Leading me back to the hotel, Mig set off through the Kuala Lumpur traffic and I quickly remembered the key aspects of driving a motorcycle in Malaysia. These include:

• Watching in your mirrors for cars that assume you will get out of their way.
• Riding on the white line between lanes or on footpaths is perfectly normal.
• Horns are often used to let someone know you are there rather than to warn prior to abuse.
• Cars expect you to filter through lanes and are often annoyed if you don't.
• Lane markers and road signs seem optional.

I don't necessarily follow these unwritten rules of the road in Malaysia, but I do try to drive safely for all road users, especially myself and try in all instances to follow the road rules and signs.

Packed and ready to go

The following day we left for Melaka. I managed to get us out of Kuala Lumpur and headed to Melaka without the use of my GPS, something I feel proud of. I certainly needed it later on arriving in Ayer Keroh and navigating Melaka.

Back in Malaysia - 2015

A few years ago, I brought my own bike into Malaysia via Singapore to do some driving around this beautiful and friendly country. Since then, I met my wife from the Philippines and we got married in her country, but that marriage is not recognised in Australia, so we are jumping through the visa hurdles. Recently, we found out she is pregnant, which is wonderful news, but has complicated some of those visa hurdles.

Last week, we got notified that a decision on her Prospective Marriage Visa was about to be made and she would need to leave the country immediately (if not, sooner) before that decision could be made. I have a full time job, and my poor wife is suffering through mid-term pregnancy, so she can feel very ill and have bad headaches, and sometimes be very vague and say and do strange things. It is not just her, many women during pregnancy have these types of symptoms.

As this would be the last time (for a while) we would both get to do a motorcycle tour, and she had always wanted to see Peninsular Malaysia, we thought it might be fun to hire a motorcycle in Singapore or Malaysia and do some sight-seeing.

Easier said than done!

Firstly, a big shout out to the friendly and professional chaps at Big Loud Rides in Singapore. When I contacted them, they came back immediately with a good price on a very nice Harley Davidson. If this is your thing, then you should really give them a go and have a chat. I am not really into Harley's - they are heavy bikes and I am a small guy. The bike they offered me was more than double the wet weight of my BMW GS 650, and that scared the hell out of me with a pregnant wife on the back. But if you are into Harley's and want someone who is really knowledgeable about the area, routes, and challenges, then I highly recommend them.

Also, in planning the trip, the cheapest flights were to Kuala Lumpur, so we took them. Strangely, the flights to KL via Singapore were cheaper than the flights to Singapore. I wasn't sure if I bailed at the Singapore stop over, if I would be branded a terrorist, so we decided the best plan was to follow the plan.

I found out that the MotoGP is being held at Sepang International Circuit the weekend we were going to be in Malaysia. I spoke to a few friends about rental options in Malaysia. These were the options I was given:

1. Ride Adventure- Kuala Lumpur
2. Ride Malaysia
3. KL EZ Harley Davidson Bikes

When I got into contact with KL EZ and Ride Malaysia, they came back within 24 hours to let me know they had all their fleet booked out due to the MotoGP. This was quite understandable... and how I found out the MotoGP was on.

I know, I know... I am an avid motorcyclist and I didn't realise it was on. I didn't even realise it was on in Australia! I am more of a solo motorcyclist. I ride by myself, not in groups. I don't care about the new bikes racing, or who won, or what models performed well. I ride for the experience and the exploration and the fun. But I also understand that a lot of people DO care, so I got a little worried that I might have to resort to public transport.

From a personal perspective, I don't like public transport in foreign countries. I don't like trains; I don't like buses; I don't like taxis; I don't like rickshaws, tricycles, or jeepneys. I am sure my readers will understand. I like motorcycles - preferably my own. It's like other peoples kids. No they are not cute and they are not adorable... but my own are.

Using Facebook, I spoke to a chap called Mig from Ride Adventure - Kuala Lumpur and he told me immediately that his fleet was fully booked in this time period, but that he might be able to figure something out. He has offered me about half a dozen bikes that didn't quite meet my requirements. Most were bigger bikes than I wanted (FJR 1300); others were without any panier supports (FZ1, KTM 850SM), so I would have to choose the backpack or the wife and I am probably going to get in trouble for even suggesting that was a choice.

So, here I sit, in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, waiting on a call back from Mig about access to a Versys 650. It has a rear top case, but I have asked for the case to be removed so I can use the strut for the backpack. These guys are all very busy organising for the MotoGP this weekend, so I understand I am a little fish in a big f#@%ing pond.

More to come.

This is my first post in a while, and I apologise for that. I have heaps of posts drafted but none posted. If you want more, hit me up in the comments.

Exiting Malaysia and Entering Singapore

I started out from Johor Bahru after a good breakfast for Singapore at about 9.30am with a plan to get to RAM Racing Engineering for crating the bike by about 1pm. I literally only had to travel less than 40 kms, with an estimated drive time of around 45 minutes, but this failed to take into account any potential stops due to the carnet and the Australian motorcycle. I knew it would not take 45 minutes, but I didn't expect it to take as long as it did.

Buddhist temple

I chose to head across the Johor Bahru - Woodlands checkpoint and the Causeway, which is the primary surface transport transit point between Singapore and Malaysia. The previous day, I had undertaken a bus trip across and back to sort my insurance and driving permit with the Automobile Association of Singapore, which took me about three hours, including using the MRT and busses to get myself around.

Finding the correct lanes at the checkpoint out of Malaysia ended up being relatively easy with the icons for trucks, cars and motorcycles. The difference of lane size was also a giveaway. Approaching the causeway, I took the closest window to stamp my passport and asked where the customs place was to get the carnet stamped. Although this took about an hour, the chap in charge simply accepted I knew what I was doing and agreed to follow my instructions, even though he claimed he had never seen anything like it. He even offered me a chocolate while I waited.

Once stopped, I found it difficult to get myself back out into the motorcycle traffic passing through the checkpoint and I would be wary of wider bikes or bikes that were lower to the ground. I scraped the base of my BMW GS650 on the large speed bumps on my way out. At about 11.30am, I joined the other motorcyclists in a steady stream across the bridge.

The trip across the causeway only took about five minutes, crossing the Johor Strait. It is certainly nowhere near as pretty as the Tuas-Johor checkpoint crossing, which is a graceful bridge and took quite some time to cross. At first there were motorcycle only lanes on the far left of the road, but about half way these lanes merge into the common traffic. Or I should say, the common traffic lanes merge into the motorcycle lane. A short distance later, the motorcycle lane starts again on entry into the Woodlands Checkpoint.

Singapore's bay

Here, I found complete madness when I expected Singapore authorities to be far more organised and less officious. How wrong I was!

It started with my autopass card failing at the immigration point, which caused no end of grief. Then I found out I needed to fill out a card on entry because I was not Malaysian. I should have remembered this because exactly the same thing happened to me the previous day when I entered on foot.

Meanwhile, a steadily growing irate line of Malaysian and Singaporean motorcyclists were patiently waiting for me to move on as I had effectively blocked the first bay. As the line grew, I started to block all the bays and no one could move. That is when they started to yell at me from behind and I cannot blame them. I would probably have yelled at the stupid foreigner who had caused such trouble.

Once all my cards had been completed and I had it explained to me where I needed to go to find an official to correct my autopass card failure, the chap who was talking to me was replaced by another guy who needed a brief on what I was doing. This took another fifteen minutes as handover took place and computer logins were re-established. The line behind me grew angry.

Finally, I had a green light to go and I put my helmet back on. I turned to the guys behind me to apologise for the delay, but they yelled at me, "Just go!". I checked my watch - nearly 1pm.

Then I had to stop at customs to declare the bike and sort out the Carnet. After all this time and effort, the sweat dripping off me and sure I had lost a few kilos in the heat of the transit across the causeway, a Singaporean customs officer escorted me into a very well air conditioned office where a rough gentleman knew exactly what a carnet was and finalised it within a few minutes. The other fellows who were being detained were nowhere near as friendly and it dawned on me that some of these guys might have legitimate reasons to have been detained by Singapore Customs.

Singapore's bay

I spent half an hour sorting my autopass card out with various phone calls to relevant authorities to confirm my identity and I was glad I had done everything legitimately. Finally, I was cautioned about driving on the expressway without an In-Vehicle Unit (IVU) because I would be charged significantly if I passed a charge boom.

Waved out of the customs bay my bike had been parked in, the road to RAM Racing Engineering stood only 100 meters beyond a green light and a dozen cars. Approached by one Singaporean police officer, he asked me if I had been seen by Singaporean Customs, which I answered in the positive. I felt relieved that English was common here.

The 100 meters became 50 meters and suddenly, surrounding me, were a dozen Singaporean police, waving me into a car sized garage at the right of the exit road. They asked me to disembark and turn the bike off, which I obeyed. A garage door closed behind me with a clang. They quizzed me on where I had come from and my destination.  Then we walked around the bike as interrogated me about what each section held. After writing all my responses down, they demanded I open all my panniers, and bags, undo my tarpaulin covered backpack and pull all my gear out onto the floor of the garage, filthy clothes and all.

Satisfied I had no contraband, they lightened up and started making jokes as I packed it all back up. I didn't feel particularly friendly after being violated in such a manner, but at least I didn't get a rubber glove and I was under no illusion they could have requested a cavity search if they had a reason. The elderly gentleman in charge, interested in the bike, asked me what speed I had got it up to in Malaysia. My response, "I did not exceed the speed limit" raised some eyebrows and even got some laughs. They wished me all the best on my trip and opened the garage door, stopping the traffic to give me clear passage out to the green light and the freedom of Singapore.

My GPS gave me directions along the freeway and although I had been warned of the cost I might incur if I were to travel down the freeway without appropriate vehicle mounted systems, I chose to take the risk. I was fairly sure, given it was now after 2pm, that I would not be going under any of the operational gangways. It took about another thirty minutes to make the haven of RAM Racing Engineering, where I was welcomed and given food and drink and wonderful company.

I had finally made it to Singapore. The 45 minute trip had taken me about five hours and I felt wrecked.

Toy Museum - Penang

A place that claimed to be the largest toy museum in the world caught my eye on the tourist maps while I tried to identify places I would visit while I stayed on Penang in George Town. I think the place has moved since many of the tourist maps were printed as I managed to get myself to the exact location depicted on the maps and described by various tourist publications only to find that the giant Ninja Turtle expected to be welcoming me had been removed.

The local swimming club guys were nice enough to give me fresh directions for another 10-15kms north. An adventure followed with many loops before I managed to find it only 30 minutes before it closed, through Batu Feringgi to the village of Teluk Bahang. If you get to the Telok Bahang Dam, you have gone too far, although the drive is wonderful. The museum is roughly a few hundred meters east of the mosque near the school, but up a dirt driveway and behind some buildings. It was not easy to find, but well worth it.

On arrival, a school group were departing, so I had a bunch of munchkins flocking around for a few minutes while I purchased my ticket. On seeing the Australian number plate, the managers told me they were staying open an extra half an hour to let me view the display. Take photos, the told me. So, I did. Here are just a few of the life-sized statues housed in perspex display cases - walls and walls and walls of them.

It looked to me as if the place had been transported from an original location and remained in the shipping crates. On discussion with one of the staff, it seems I could have been correct as some of these were going to be removed and set up around the place. They even had plans to allow people to be able to play with some of the toys once they were set up. If it wasn't already heaven for a geek like me, that would have sold it.

Not only were there life-sized statues of many icons of comics and games, but there were many shelves with heaps of different toys from various themes and television shows. Some I had never even dreamed could exist, like Mars Attacks or Nightmare Before Christmas toys. There were racks and racks of Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, and other collections. Here is a very small taste of what I found.

George Town

The drive from Kuala Lumpur to the Island of Pinang took me past the incredible landscape and mountains of Ipoh, with a plan to get into the Cameron Highlands at some point. I only saw Ipoh from a distance as the highway swept around the city and continued northward.

Kota (Fort) Cornwallis entrance, George Town, Penang

I passed through dozens of toll plaza while driving but had only needed to pay a toll for the motorcycle as I entered Malaysia from Singapore at the Tuas-Johor checkpoint. However, pulling across to the left as I started onto the Jambatan Pulau Pinang bridge across to George Town, I needed to pay my second toll using my little card.

Fort Cornwallis, cannon facing North East toward the Malaysian Peninsula

Due to the size of my motorcycle (and the panniers making the rear width larger than my handlebars) I have often remained out of the motorcycle lanes because they were too difficult to navigate and the car lanes provided much more space for me... more comfort and safety. On the bridge across to Pinang Island, the traffic edged forward, bumper to bumper.

Fort Cornwallis, main cannon facing roughly North into the Malacca Strait

A friend had warned me about the traffic on the bridge, but I had underestimated the length of the bridge and the amount of traffic, filling all the lanes for as far as I could see. The massive spires in the centre of the bridge were cloaked in the haze of distance, curving off to my right.

Fort Cornwallis and Wren, taken from a gun emplacement

Although the speed limit on the bridge remained at 80kph, the motorcycle lane travelled the fastest, at times reaching 60kph. There were some occasional tight squeezes as I pushed past fat trucks with my fat motorcycle. I even had locals on motorcycles and scooters overtake me, pushing me up against the edge of the bridge to get around me in gaps in the traffic or taking advantage of thin cars. Even at this speed, it took about 45 minutes to get across the bridge and must have taken the cars more than an hour and probably two to make the crossing. Note that this was around midday, so I can't imagine what it would be like during peak hours.

Roundabout on the South-East corner of Fort Cornwallis

As soon as I arrived at my hotel, with the approaching storm clouds building the oppressive humidity, I took the opportunity to grab lunch and head out to see some of the sights. The Char Kway Teo in George Town is the best I have ever eaten. In fact, the food in George Town is the best I ate on my entire trip, except perhaps for Lau Pa Sat in Singapore. I managed to get myself lost in Little India and wondered around Fort Cornwallis for a few hours as the temperature hit 36 degrees.

Johor Bahru

I came through Johor Bahru a number of times on my trip. The first after I accidentally came over the Tuas Checkpoint into Malaysia (failing to get my carnet stamped on entry) and stopped at a 7-Eleven to get some directions through driving rain to Mersing. The second, the next day, I came back from Mersing to Johor Bahru to the Malaysian Customs complex to get my carnet stamped as required.

Unfortunately, I got myself very lost in Johor Bahru and unable to get to any of the sights I had intended, like the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum and the Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple, among other temples in the area. I had also intended to get a look at the South China Sea, but the chaos and my poor navigation left little time in my day before I had to get to Melaka, so I got to wonder in amazement at the city, stopping only to turn around or ask for directions.

I stopped at Johor Bahru for a few days toward the end of my trip before heading north again to Penang as I waited for a contract to come through that would have seen me in Singapore and back to Australia promptly, but it didn't come through that week (or, indeed, the next). This time, while I waited, I took some time to travel out to Desaru Beach after being told it would only be 20 minutes drive. Even on my maps before I left it looked more like an our and a half, but I am in it for the ride as well, so an hour and a half did not daunt me. The weather tried to.

Desaru Beach, Johor - looking North West

The drive to Desaru Beach, interrupted only by toll plaza and a stop for fuel, took just over an hour but the brown signposts were easy to follow. The bridge across the Sungai Johor (Johor River) is impressive and rose up from the plantations a good distance before it towered over me across some of the cleanest water I had seen in Malaysia. The small road out to the beach itself had a fair amount of traffic on it - almost as much as the highway, and the Public Beach was difficult to find among the private resort beaches, but my MYR$1 handed to the parking security was well spent - my motorcycle was there when I got back.

Desaru Beach, Johor - looking North East

While I walked up and down the beach, a young man carrying a small round faced little girl talked to me. He is in the photo above on the right. A local from Bandar Penawar, he had been in the area all his life and spoke with a lisp, which made his stilted English very difficult to understand. He offered me a meal with his family and although I gracefully refused initially, he insisted and so I sat down with a family of about a dozen from grandparent to babies for a talk. No one else in the group seemed to speak English, so the young man tried to translate with his speech impediment making the entire experience surreal and quite challenging at times.

Desaru Beach, Johor - looking South East

The grandmother gave me a bowl of something that I think was a local laksa - a fishy broth with noodles and other things that were unrecognisable and did not translate. It tasted great, if a little hot, but I ate every mouthful to the joy of the family who asked me many questions about myself, my trip and Australia. We even spoke of politics in the local area briefly before the grandmother explained that talking politics in Malaysia was like undressing in front of a stranger - an interesting analogy, but I didn't push it any further.

They also pointed out to me that I was the only white guy on the beach, which I had not even noticed, but they were correct. The young man told me that it was an honour for his family to have hosted a foreigner and that many of the other local families were jealous of them. They would not accept any reimbursement for lunch. The trip back, much faster as I knew the roads and pushed the speed up a little more into the 130kph, I was stopped briefly by a police roadblock but waived through when they saw I was Australian.

I came back later when I was heading home to Australia and tried to get to the museum (which was under renovations and inaccessible to tourists) and the glass temple (which I tried to navigate to for several hours, but finally gave up only to see it on the opposite side of the road with no way to turn around). I will have to make another attempt to see these the next time I pass through, perhaps in October.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is a cyberpunk city, mixing incredible clusters of buildings with affluence and massive infrastructure that creaks under the strain while ramshackle buildings lean against each other in the shadows of impressive architecture, like the Petronis Twin Towers.

Night skyline showing Petronis Twin Towers

I first drove in to Kuala Lumpur from Kuantan and could see the smog and haze as I approached, obscuring the city skyline until I came quite close, but then out from the grey familiar landmarks appeared. Even before I arrived in the city, I recognised the towers.

An example of a good day with minimal haze

On my way into Kuala Lumpur, I stopped at one of the rest stops to stretch my legs and found myself the object of a bus-load of Chinese tourists who decided I was amazing and crazy to be doing my trip. They all lined up to take individual photos with me by the motorcycle, and all wanted me to put my arm around them and give a "thumbs up" signal. I joked later on my Facebook page that because I had not shaved, they might have mistaken me for Charley Boorman.

Amazing architecture with background landmarks

This comment led to talking to him two days later after being introduced to Maznah Zolkifni, an intelligent and dynamic young Malaysian actress who had also just spoken to Charley while he was in Kuala Lumpur filming his next documentary. I managed to get contact details for is producer and director and, although there had been some discussion (when I had been mistaken as a local journalist) that I might meet him, a massive downpour of rain that he had been riding in meant that he really just wanted to relax and get back to his hotel. Having been caught in a similar rain attack days earlier, I really did understand, so instead, we spoke for about 15 minutes on the phone. It was the most rewarding experiences of Kuala Lumpur and a real buzz to talk to the legend.

I drove through Kuala Lumpur several times and got lost almost every single one. The GPS was no help at all as it did not differentiate between the upper or lower road. I found myself getting caught on the wrong one regularly. On my first entry to the city, I managed to get myself lost in Little India as a market sprang up around me blocking roads that I had initially driven down. I felt the markets growing around me and it took me a lot of effort to get myself out of the lanes shrinking like clogged arteries.


Front of the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur



Kuala Lumpur's National Mosque

I raced out on foot one afternoon before the weather closed in to see the National Mosque, which I did not find as spectacular as the mosque in Kuantan, but it was certainly larger. I didn't get a chance to look inside as it had been closed for prayers. This seems to be the time I turn up at mosques to take a look at them, actually, at almost all temples.

Islamic Arts Museum

Instead, I found the Islamic Arts Museum with an excellent arms and armour, tapestries, calligraphy as well as a Chinese vase display. It took me some time to find the entrance, but once I figured that out, it cost only MYR$10 for as long as I wanted to roam around and look at things. Although most photography was prohibited in the museum, and the displays were incredible, the ceilings were amazing.

Roof inside the Islamic Arts Museum

Inverted dome inside the Islamic Arts Museum

On my way back from the National Mosque and the Islamic Arts Museum, I spotted some street art on the railway line. I crossed the road to take a quick photo of the spot I had found, which suggests there is probably some other stuff in Kuala Lumpur that I just didn't find. Although the image is interesting, the more exciting story is that minutes later, I had two guys on a scooter attempt to snatch the camera off my shoulder, failing miserably and ending up hurting themselves in the process.

Street art example in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Sanctuary

I really wanted to go and see some fauna that I have never seen before. I had planned on heading to Taman Negara to see if I could see anything in the wild, but I also planned to support some of the conservation and sanctuaries for sick and injured animals, like the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Sanctuary. This place is incredible and the guides and elephants are very friendly.

Welcome sign to the Conservation Sanctuary

Not knowing much about elephants and only ever seeing them at a zoo at a distance, I really didn't quite understand how awesome their mass actually is. They are big and heavy and they can make very loud sounds. They are also very smart and seem to really try to communicate.

Baby elephant at the holding pen

I got there on a Friday, which due to the Muslim holy day, is a little quieter than normal and only has a feeding activity at about 2.45pm (check the times before you take my word for this). I knew it would be quiet, which is why I picked this day and drove from Kuala Lumpur. It is relatively easy to find and marked well by Tourism Malaysia (watch for the brown signs). The 9km road out there from the highway is a really nice forested and cool drive, but beware of the local traffic, chickens, dogs, and children running across the road. Also be aware that the road is not very wide and oncoming traffic can cause some issues, although this is minimised with a motorcycle.

On arriving you need to check yourself in and register at the visitor information centre before you cross the bridge and into the sanctuary itself. This is to ensure that you are informed about what you can and cannot do, and any safety information you need to know. It is also to keep track of the numbers of people going into the conservation area to maintain it and the elephants state of mind - there is a quota.

Real elephant skeleton on display at the registration centre

This is also the place you can make donations and unlike the temples, there is no donation box sitting around. If you want to make a donation, you need to see the registration staff. It costs about MYD$100 a day to feed a single elephant, so I'd recommend this as a starting donation as there are quite a few on the conservation and they eat about 200kgs of food daily. They are vegetarian and banana trees themselves make good food, which is why they can become a problem for farmers.

At the registration centre is a display room and a theatre which shows videos on how the elephants are translocated from areas of danger or concern to places like the conservation and Tanam Negara. The video was quite educational as I always thought of elephants as relatively docile creatures, but they are clearly difficult to manage.

In fact, there were lots of things I didn't know about elephants that I learned while being here. I didn't realise that Elephants have a similar life expectancy to humans and some have lived to be as old as 80 years in good environments that mimic their real wild environments. They have 4 teeth (tusks are not teeth) that are replaced up to 6 times as they loose them throughout their life and once their teeth are all gone, they die - usually because they can no longer eat. They are also very susceptible to trauma and just the traumatic experience of being moved somewhere can be enough to kill an elephant.

Part of the trauma issue is that they have really good memories. I have seen a documentary on their burial practices and that, in their native environment, they return to the burial grounds every year to pay respect to the dead. I have also heard that they are on the same level as primates for intelligence and tool use. They also make many more different noises than just a trumpeting sound, which is damn scary when they let forth a trumpet near you. They also have clicks, whistles and this deep grumble that reminds me of the crocodile rattle. There is even one instance of an elephant (Kosik) using its trunk inside its mouth to articulate Korean words. Eat your heart out Washoe!

I'd recommend you pay the MYD$50 for a guide to take you around the sanctuary. If anything it will keep you from getting zapped by electric fences, attacked by snakes and large spiders, and they carry a beating stick for anything larger - and apparently there are tigers on the sanctuary but they are well fed. I was afraid to ask what they were eating since they don't eat the elephants or humans (at least not that I heard). You can also get a guide for the Malaysian aboriginal community up the hill from the reservation centre to support them.

My guide, a pleasant and informative lady named Azmira, led me around the sanctuary and introduced me to the elephants, answering my many questions about various aspects and giving me some great general and specific information. First, we went to see the young ones and feed them some sugar cane and banana - I got to pat an elephant, hold the trunk, and pat its tongue (which was very warm). Then we went for a walk through the forest area and her and another guide showed me some of the bush medicine and poisons native to the area. Finally, after the video, she took me up to see the aboriginal community and the traditional house structures before getting me back in time for the adult elephant show and feeding session.



Greedy elephant who wanted more of everything

I had a brilliant day with the elephants and seeing the native Che' wong Orang Asli community. I'd recommend if you find yourself in Kuala Lumpur or even in Kuantan to take the effort to get out of the city and go and take a look at this marvellous sanctuary and lend some support to the efforts to keep them going.